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"Without warning, the words of the seer came back to haunt him. Had she not said his way would be both hard and long? So great did the king's fear become when he remembered this, he came to a complete stop, and for many moments was unable to go on.
"Oh, get a hold of yourself, he commanded himself finally. Stop acting like a baby and start actinglike the king you are. You can't really be lost. You're still on the mountain, after all.
"Besides, the seer had not said that his way would be long and hard no matter what. It would be so only if he saw his desire and claimed it not. The king still considered this possibility highly unlikely.
"Remember you are in a place of enchantment, he reminded himself. And at this, he grew incensed at the unfairness of it all. How were mere mortals supposed to find their way when those who were more than mortal made all the rules but would not reveal what they were ahead of time?
"As a king, he could not approve of such a thing. And so, by degrees, instead of allowing his fear to make him humble and careful, the king worked himself up to a fit of righteous indignation. And because of this, he lost his caution as thoroughly as he had lost his way.
'"I want off of this mountain,' he declared.! don't care how.'
"Now I will share with you a thing that Maju once shared with me," Shahrazad confided to her sister and husband, her voice melodic and low. "And that is that you should always think at least twice before you speak your i
"And if things that do not usually have ears suddenly possess them, it may be that they have mouths and tongues and wills also. And if they have these things, who knows what they can do?"
"Thus the king soon discovered when he heard a voice declare, 'Let me help you.'
"At this, the king was so startled that he lost his footing, tumbled to the ground, and began to roll.
Down, down, down the mountain he went, taking quantities of earth and rocks with him as he tumbled along. Just as he was sure his very bones would be crushed within him, the miracle occurred.
"Thump!
"With a great crash, the king collided with something. A thing that made a grunt and a cry. He was no longer rolling, and for that the king was grateful. But he was also cross, for the thing that had stopped him was treading on his beard, which suddenly seemed much longer than the king recalled. No sooner had it ceased to tread on his beard than it pulled his hair, which brought tears to his eyes. And so, instead of speaking in gratitude, the king spoke sharply.
'"Stop that! Why don't you watch where you're going, you great oaf?
"Now, I'm sure you will agree that this was hardly the way to speak to another person, for so this thing turned out to be. Particularly a young man whose strong and sturdy body may have just prevented yours from rolling right off the side of a mountain. But by now the king was feeling so altogether thwarted, tricked, and vexed that he no longer cared for anyone but himself and so he no longer cared how he sounded.
'"What are you doing here? he demanded crossly as he got to his feet and did his best to dust himself off. 'How dare you bump and bruise me? Don't you care who I am at all?
""Not in the least,' the young man said. 'Why should I? I am on a great quest to find my long-lost father. I was doing just fine until you came tumbling down upon me. A thing which probably saved your life, by the way. You might try being a little nicer.'
"'I most certainly will not!' roared the king. "The least you could have done was to notice me coming and get out of the way.'
'"If I had noticed you, I would have,' the young man roared back, 'but you came from out of nowhere.'
All of a sudden his eyes narrowed. 'Perhaps that was your intention,' he said. 'Perhaps you rolled into me on purpose to thwart me in my quest.'
'"Oh, don't be so ridiculous,' the king snapped. I've never met your father, and if you're the best he can do for a son, I'm not surprised that you haven't either. He probably ran away from you. All I'm trying to do is to get off this mountain.'
"At this, the young man pointed downhill. 'Try going that way,' he said.
'"I know that!' the king shouted. 'What do you take me for, a total idiot?'
'"No, only a rude, insensitive boor who rolls into people and then yells at them for no reason,' the young man shouted right back.
"At this, the king lost his temper so completely he did a thing which, had he been himself, would have shamed him deeply. He picked up a stone, intending to bring it crashing down upon the young man's head.
But no sooner had he raised it high than to his complete and utter astonishment, the stone spoke and said, Your wish is my command.'
"The young man gave a yelp and jumped back. As for the king, he was so amazed, he almost dropped the stone right on his foot.
'"Did you say something?' the king asked.
"The young man gaped, his mouth wide open, his eyes as big and round as two full moons.
'"Of course I did,' the stone replied. 'I said, your wish is my command.'
'"Wait a minute, what wish? I didn't make any wish,' the king sputtered.
'"Oh, yes, you did,' the stone said. 'I'd hold on tight, if I were you.'
"With that, the king was lifted high into the air. Up, up, up they went, until the young man was just an astonished speck on the ground below them.
'"This can't be happening!' the king gasped.
'"Don't be so ridiculous,' the stone answered in exactly the same tone of voice the king had used just a few moments earlier. 'Of course it can. How many stories have you heard about carpets flying? Carpets!
Hah! Have you ever heard of anything so stupid? How anyone ever came up with that idea, I can't possibly imagine.'
"At least if you were a carpet, I could sit down,' the king said. For, truth to tell, his arm was starting to get a little tired.
"'Oh, well,' the stone replied, its tone disgustingly cheerful. At least now we're on our way.'
"'On our way where?’ the king wailed.
"'Well how on earth should I know?" the stone asked, its tone begi
"'How can these things be?" the king asked.
'"Oh that is simple enough. I am enchanted.'
"I was afraid you were going to say that.'
'"Watch out,’ the stone suddenly advised. 'Flock of birds ahead. This could get a little tricky.'
"The king closed his eyes and held on for dear life. Oh, dear, oh dear, he moaned to himself as he heard the flutter of wings around his head. How had such a thing come to pass? He was really just an everyday king with an everyday wish. All he wanted was a son. Was that too much to ask?
"Squawk!
"In sudden horror, the king opened his eyes just in time to see the last bird of the flock coming straight for him, its claws outstretched. Another moment, and it would peck his eyes out for sure. With a great cry, the king let go of the stone and covered his face with his hands.
'"I really don't think you should have done that,' he heard the stone say. But by then it was too late. As swiftly as he had risen, the king began to fall, and it seemed to him that the earth rose up to meet him at an alarming rate. Try as he might, the king could see no other outcome but that his life must end.